Anyone need an NG3 gearbox? U.K. Based.

[StrawberryCheesecake]

I've found a scrapyard in The Midlands  that seems to have a couple of NG3 gearboxes from early Espace models.

I'm going up for a look after work today. Think he's has one from a 2.0 petrol and one from a 3.0 petrol. There may be more as well.

Any guidance on what to look for, other than the tag on the back of the casing, and play in the output shafts?

If you're after a gearbox then please let me know and I'll see what else he's got. He's asking £150 over the phone, which neither seems expensive nor a massive bargain.

Any bits that I need to make sure I get with it - e.g. Linkage end, clutch bits?

[EuropaTC]

£150 sounds a bargain to me, in fact at that price I'm very tempted to buy one "just in case".  I'd get as many parts as you can walk away with myself, if nothing else it gives you an idea of how it was designed to go together.

Brian

[StrawberryCheesecake]

Told him 'It's for a kit car I'm building' :-)

I was thinking of offering him £250 for a pair of them.

[buzzer]

Mike,

I'd be interested in one at that sort of price as a spare in case my 5 speed causes problems

Dave

[StrawberryCheesecake]

Fair enough- if they turn out to be the right boxes, I'll get a list of what's there.

[4129R]

How much modification is needed to fit one?

If over 145bhp is available, apparently the original 5 speed R17 box cannot cope with the power.

Alex in Norfolk

[Grumblebuns]

How much modification is needed to fit one?

If over 145bhp is available, apparently the original 5 speed R17 box cannot cope with the power.

Alex in Norfolk

This link may answer some of your questions. Describes fitting a NG3 to a S2.

http://www.greytower.com/jon/lotus/europa/gearbox/gearbox.html

[StrawberryCheesecake]

Bad news! It was the wrong type of gearbox. He now knows what I'm after and reckons he gets offered that age of Espace from time to time.

Sorry for the false alarm. I thought I was pretty clear on the phone, but obviously not clear enough.

[EuropaTC]

Shucks.....   I had visions of a "group buy" for a moment ! 

The correct boxes do come up on Ebay from time to time but often sellers say "must collect", which throws me out of their market as I'd want to arrange a pallet delivery.  If you have a van & can travel, I'd expect you to pick one up before the rest of the car is ready to roll.

Brian

[StrawberryCheesecake]

The old A6 estate can swallow a gearbox or two. 211k miles and plenty of life left in it :-)

I've got feelers out with a few scrappies and I expect something will come up.

[StrawberryCheesecake]

 They're like buses, these NG3 boxes. Got two of them on the way now, and have the feelers out for more. Both 2.0 petrol ones, so should be decent  ratios for track / sprint use in a lighter  car.

Is it worth putting an LSD in a Europa? Are they available for NG3 boxes?

[EuropaTC]

That's amazing luck.  I've had a search on Ebay for ages now and the only things that keep coming up are those regular £2k ones, which are out of my price range.

Do you mind telling me how much you've had to pay for them ?

Brian

(and how on earth you've managed to get one ! )

[StrawberryCheesecake]

£250 ish. Just keeping my eye out. They're scrapyard boxes though, not rebuilt ones.

If I end up with a surplus one, you can have first refusal Brian. The one I'm picking up this Friday is from the scrappy who had the wrong type last time. Hope he's got it right this time!

I have another couple of places to try. I'll let you know. I missed another one by a week 'Oh we just crushed one of those'

In general I'd say most scrappies don't know a mk2 Espace box is desirable in a Lotus. I tell them it's going in a kit car, to avoid overinflated prices.

[EuropaTC]

Sounds a great deal. 

I don't expect to get one rebuilt and was also looking in the £200-£300 bracket.  For me that's enough to spend on a "maybe" idea and I wouldn't mind having to rebuild one at that sort of price.

Best of luck, I'm sure your man will have the right one this time. Keep the thread posted !

[Gmg31]

I got a spare with my project car that is seized and I wasn't sure what to do with it. I guess I should seriously consider having it reconditioned.